Disclaimer: All characters, names, settings, etc etc. belong to the ingenious, creative J.K. Rowling!
Cho Chang veered to the right, chasing after her Snitch as it whisked off behind a tree. She was vaguely aware that the sun was long gone and the Hogwarts grounds were nearly empty, but she continued to fly, feeling the wind through her long black hair. She swerved to avoid a tree, and circled around it, searching for the little golden ball. Nothing. Finally, she spotted it descending toward the ground and raced after it. But she was too late. As the Snitch disappeared from view, Cho slowed her broom and slumped onto it, sighing deeply.
Tears stung Cho's eyes. That's the third school Snitch I've lost! she thought angrily, skillfully bringing her Comet 260 to the ground. She tumbled into a heap onto the grass and buried her head in her arms. I can't do anything right! Cho cried inside. Ever since, ever since…
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching, and she looked up at once. A pair of golden eyes appeared in the dark, followed by spiky grey hair and a billowing cloak.
"Madam Hooch," Cho sighed in relief. "Good evening, Professor."
Madam Hooch shook her head and smiled slightly. "Ms. Chang, while your passion for Quidditch is admirable, you should really be heading back to your dorm. Come on now, chivvy along." She held out a hand, but Cho looked away.
"Professor," Cho started, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. She took a deep breath and exhaled hurriedly, "I think I need help with Quidditch."
Madam Hooch opened her mouth to say something, but only sighed. Wearily, she picked up Cho's broom and subconsciously examined it. Cho stood up, wiping her tears with her sleeve.
"Please, Professor," Cho begged. "I've been flying horribly. I don't want to be kicked off the team."
Finally, the hawk-like flying Professor said, sighing, "All right, Ms. Chang, I'll try to find you a personal trainer. Now please, hurry to bed, it's getting late." Madam Hooch handed the Comet 260 back and gestured Cho in the direction of the castle. Cho went, grinning, thanking Madam Hooch with every backwards glance.
As she reached the warmth of the Hogwarts castle, Cho breathed deeply and smiled. A coach! she thought excitedly. As she ran, her footsteps echoing in the empty corridor, she tried to ignore her pestering thoughts. Come on, Cho, an annoying voice in the back of her head teased. Deep down, you know you're hoping it'll be Harry.
"No. I. don't. Shut. up," Cho whispered through gritted teeth as she kept running. How horrible could I be? Cho thought despairingly. I can't do that to Cedric. No, I can't like Harry. I can't! I can't just leave Cedric behind. I can't forget him so soon.
Cho turned the corner and climbed the stairs two at a time, stopping at the Ravenclaw portrait to collect her meddlesome thoughts.
Saturday evening found Cho sitting by the edge of the lake, sighing disappointedly as she glanced at her watch. Madam Hooch had promised her that the appointed coach would meet her at 5:00. 5:17, Cho read. I'll give the irresponsible prat 3 more minutes. She stood up irritably. Might as well go for a warm up jog, she thought. Cho pulled her long, silky hair into a messy ponytail and then started off slowly around the lake.
As she accelerated, she breathed a lungful of fresh, English air and her trainers pounded the dirt and grass. She noticed just how much she loved to run, how free it made her feel and how the wind blasted in her ears. If only I could run like this forever, away from all my problems, Cho thought, pumping her legs until they burned. Her hair band snapped, and her hair whipped in a random mess behind her. Cho grinned as the scenery around her blurred. She was unstoppable. Her lungs were about to burst, yet she never felt so liberated.
As Cho saw her broom and seeker glove slowly getting closer, she reluctantly slowed her speed and brought herself to a halt. Her heart pounded, and she rested her hands on her legs to catch her breath. Suddenly, she was aware of white, alien trainers in front of her face.
Cho slowly followed the trainers upward, seeing immaculate pants, followed by a green Quidditch uniform, and finally, to her disgust, a pale, blond, smug boy.
"Nice of you to join me," Draco Malfoy sneered. "I can't believe the great Cho Chang needs my help! Ha, wait till Potter hears about this." He snickered evilly.
"No," Cho whispered in disbelief. Madam Hooch chose him! "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no," Cho repeated, backing up and gathering her things. "No, I don't need this." She brushed past Malfoy's tall figure and stomped back in the direction of the school. I am NOT giving this arrogant, conceited fifth year the satisfaction of knowing he's better than me.
"Bad idea," Malfoy drawled from behind, stopping Cho in her tracks. "Do you really want to keep looking like an idiot in front of everyone during matches? Because that's what everyone in Slytherin is saying behind your back, Chang."
Cho's heart pounded in her throat. Is that really what everyone's saying? Are they all laughing at me? I can't believe this! Anger boiled in the pit of her stomach and she stomped back up to Malfoy. She fought to stay calm, but her brown eyes radiated her hurt.
"Good choice," Malfoy spat. "I wouldn't want St. Potter or the rest of the Gryffin-dorks laughing at me at the next Quidditch match, either." He smirked wickedly, knowing he got to her.
Cho's face hardened, and her lip quivered dangerously. She stared at Malfoy for a second, and with one swift movement, kneed him somewhere unpleasant. He keeled over, dropping his broom and groaning in pain. Cho took this opportunity to step on his hunched-over figure. "Why are you doing this anyway, Malfoy?" she asked icily, arms folded. He glared daggers up at her and struggled to stand up.
"Hey," he spat. "Purely out of the goodness of my heart." He leaned against his attractive broom for support.
Cho scoffed and rolled her eyes. She highly doubted Malfoy even had a heart to begin with.
"That, and Madam Hooch gave Slytherin 40 points." He laughed, but it came out more as a painful wheeze.
"Whatever," Cho grumbled. "Let's just get this over with." She hopped on her broom and flew as high up as possible, away from Malfoy. Unfortunately, he soon followed, showing off as he tossed a Remembrall up and down with one hand and held his broom with the other. Cho rolled her eyes.
Draco Malfoy was one of those people who were terrible and hateful, but annoyingly handsome at the same time. His piercing grey eyes and his white blond hair that caught the sunlight only accentuated his sharp features and gave him an aristocratic look. He was a guy you hated to look at, but always found yourself doing so anyway.
And Cho found herself doing so.
She shook her head violently to refocus. Malfoy was drawling confidently, "…and since you're obviously not up to using a real Snitch, I'm going to throw this Remembrall and you're going to attempt to catch it." He placed a particular emphasis on 'attempt' and Cho seethed.
Malfoy drew his arm back and with a grunt, sent the Remembrall soaring into the distance.
Bending low over her broom, Cho zoomed after it, making sure to knock into Malfoy on her way. Her eyes narrowed as she flew at the clear ball, which was losing speed. Hand outstretched, she dove after it as it fell quickly. Almost…there… Cho strained to reach it, noticing the ground rising faster and faster. Come on, come on…Shit! She cursed as she pulled out of the dive, helplessly watching as the Remembrall fell and fell and finally shattered loudly against the ground. Cho ran a hand through her hair, considering fleeing instead of having to witness Malfoy's smug face. But she took a breath and boldly flew back to her coach, dreading what was coming.
"Well, I'm not going to sugarcoat it, Chang," Malfoy drawled haughtily as she approached. "You. Suck. Merlin! You make Goyle look like a good seeker."
Cho, who was already enraged by her own miss, was only inflamed by Malfoy's remark. Caught up in her rage, she reached into her Quidditch robes for her wand and furiously cursed Malfoy with a well-placed Bat-Bogey Hex. He lost balance on his broom as he reached for his own wand, wobbling dangerously and cussing fluently at Cho. At the last possible moment, he regained control and muttered the counter curse, restoring his hexed face back to normal.
"You're so bloody violent, you jumped-up Ravenclaw freak!" Malfoy yelled hatefully, bringing himself to a landing on the ground.
Cho refused to be intimidated and yelled back, "Well, you keep insulting me, you self-centered, immature Slytherin!" She landed beside him.
Malfoy was about to retort, inciting a full-on fight, but at that moment, Professor Snape exited the castle. He noticed the row going on and hurried over to the two students. He placed a crooked hand on Malfoy's shoulder.
"What's going on here?" he asked in his dangerously soft voice.
Malfoy spared Cho a smirk and then said to Snape, "Please, sir, she hexed me! I could have died!" Cho gaped in anger and cried, "Hey, that's not true! He started it! He said Goyle would be a better seeker than me!"
Professor Snape's mouth curled into a faint smirk. "I don't doubt the validity of that statement. 5 points from Ravenclaw for unlawful hexing. Both of you, get going before you kill each other." His beady eyes fixed on Cho.
Cho seethed at the unjustness, but knew better than to retort –she'd already lost 5 points; she wasn't about to lose any more. Instead, she faked a smile and responded, "You are absolutely right, Professor Snape. If you hadn't come along, my superb hexing skills may have finished Malfoy off. He sure owes you a thank you." Her voice dripped with sweet sarcasm. Then, she turned on her heel and coldly walked past the two –Malfoy looking furious and Snape looking blank.
Cho smirked.
(A/N) How was it, guys? I really hope you liked it! Please review, your opinions matter to me:D